The findings? Eating fruits and vegetables was linked to a lower risk of death during the course of the study. But the benefit peaked at three to four servings a day: Those that hit that mark were 22 percent less likely to die of any cause than those who ate 1 serving or less a day. There was no additional life-saving benefit seen to eating any more than that, the study found.

Prior studies— as we reported on in the past —have linked greater fruit and vegetable consumption to a reduced risk of serious disease. For instance, eating about 250 grams of fruits and vegetables a day, or about 2.5 servings, was linked to a 18 percent reduction in stroke and a four percent drop in cancer. But those who ate 4 times as much, or about 10 servings a day, reduced their risk of stroke by 33 percent and cancer by 13 percent.

So while this study provides evidence that you don’t need to overload on the fruits and vegetables to live longer, it’s not exactly the be-all, end-all of the scientific thinking out there—especially in light of the past studies that did show a more-is-better benefit.

Spicy Ground Chicken and Vegetable Stir Fry:

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